


Sometimes

by orphan_account



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-19
Updated: 2012-02-19
Packaged: 2017-10-31 10:04:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/342783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's difficult for the both of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sometimes

Sometimes, John can barely make it down the stairs. Most of the time, he doesn’t make it down the stairs at all, before his legs give out and he stumbles, supporting himself against the wall with bones that are jelly.

“I can’t come into work today,” he always reports in, practically crawling up the stairs and back into the flat. He almost always gets an _okay_ and then he is free to spend the rest of the day on the floor, wondering what his life is coming to.

-

Sometimes, Sherlock forgets where he is when he opens his eyes. The dirty motel rooms (which ever one at the time) always take a moment to get used to. He notes the missing smell of tea, the missing sound of perfectly understandable griping.

Sherlock has to shut his eyes on these days ( _every day_ ) just to hold on to the idea that he _is_ home and John _is_ there, griping about that head in the fridge ( _is it still in there, wait, no, probably not_ ).

And on these days Sherlock will roll out of bed, pull on a hoodie, and take his knapsack with him.

He never forgets who he’s doing this for.

-

On occasion, John will speak to himself. Or, rather, people will think he is speaking to himself, but he is actually speaking to Sherlock (and they’re all idiots anyway, so it doesn’t _matter_ if they think he’s talking to himself).

“Work today,” John will say on the way home and he _will_ get looks, always does, “was absolutely rubbish. I’m a doctor, but not qualified in neurology. You would think that had Anderson running my appointments, Sherlock, really.”

And _every time_ he says something like that he thinks he can hear Sherlock laughing and agreeing with him.

John just lets these things happen, of course. Crazy is the least of his problems.

-

Every so often, Sherlock will call John’s phone. He’ll call it when he knows the battery has died (which, by Sherlock’s moderately reliable calendar, is every other Wednesday), and let the phone go straight to voicemail.

 _“You’ve reached Doctor John Watson. I can’t currently answer the phone, but feel free to leave a message. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Cheers!_ ”

Sherlock will do this for two hours, at the very least, a night, because he can’t help it. The sound fills the John-shaped hole in him and he needs it. Needs it like air, like water. Like John.

Then he will tuck his phone into his pocket and resume the hunt.

-

Sometimes, John can barely make it down the stairs.

But never before has someone intruded on his stumbling on the stairway. But today someone does. The door slams open, letting in a watery light, only obstructed by a shadow.

Suddenly, John is scooped up (has he really lost enough weight to be scooped) and cradled.

“John,” oh god “John,” _Jesus_ , “ _John._ ”

The smell of Sherlock is all around him and clinging to his skin. His legs untangle from the awkward angle and crush around the tall man’s waist, holding himself upright and Sherlock in place. “Sherlocksherlock _sherlock_ sherlock—”

Lips and hands in hair and names and oh _god_. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, _Sherlock_ , Sherlock you were always—”

“I’m sorry, so sorry, I had to protect you, friends protect each other, I had to—” John almost sobs. _Friends protect each other_.

“I love you,” John declares, and he realizes they’re in the flat (Sherlock had carried him up here, he must have lost weight, really). And they’re kissing again.

“I love you,” Sherlock replies as if he had said it first.

-

Sometimes, John doesn’t make it down the stairs at all.

But it’s for an entirely different reason.


End file.
